Menu Template: 12 Designs for Restaurants and Cafes, Each With a Filled Example

Disclosure: NOXI publishes this guide and is one of the tools it mentions. Every design below works on paper, in Google Docs or in Word, and none of them needs NOXI.

Each design is plain text with [brackets] to fill, a fill-in tip and a filled example. Every restaurant, cafe, wedding and price in the examples is fictional and labelled as such.

Sheet sizes and item counts are editorial working rules, not standards.

Key numbers

Six dated facts that shape what a printed menu must carry, each from its official publisher, opened on 10 November 2026.

Which menu template fits: six quick routes

Vendor pages were opened on 10 November 2026.

• If you already write in Word → Microsoft's "Free printable menu templates" page for Word lists free designs such as Elegant dinner menu, Bistro menu and Pizza menu, opening in Word for the web [8].
• If your team shares files in Google Docs → paste any design into a document, set the paper size under File, Page setup [12] and split a trifold with Format, Columns [13].
• If you want a large designed library → Canva's Menus templates page read "Showing 50 of 16,337" [9]; our is Canva free page sets out its free plan.
• If you want free templates with no card → Adobe Express listed 2,799 menu templates under "Editable free menu templates" and states "Free to use" and "No credit card required" [10].
• If you used to make menus in Publisher → our Microsoft Publisher alternatives page compares layout tools for print work.
• If you want the whole menu written out and laid out for you → one option is NOXI's Menu format: one request with your dishes, prices and style, a design from its library of more than ninety styles, pictures made for the menu, and a PDF for the printer.

What goes on a menu: the parts every restaurant menu template shares

How to make a menu in 7 steps

Content first, layout last.

1. List every dish with its recipe and price

Name, recipe card, price. The recipe card is where the allergen line comes from, so keep one per dish.

2. Group dishes in the order guests eat

Starters, mains, sides, desserts, drinks. A cafe runs drinks first; a brunch menu splits sweet and savoury.

3. Write one line per dish

Name the main ingredients and the cooking: "Roast half chicken, salsa verde, crushed potatoes." Every ingredient you name is a promise the plate has to keep.

4. Pick the design by dish count and venue

As a working rule, up to about 20 items fit one page, 25 to 40 a bifold, and many short sections a trifold. A counter, truck or wall needs a board: fewer lines, larger prices.

5. Set prices in one format

Choose 14, 14.00 or $14 and use it everywhere, including supplements and the service charge.

6. Add the lines the law and your guests need

The allergen line, calories where you are in scope, a dietary key, hours and payment. Read the labelling section first; the rules differ by country.

7. Print one proof at full size

Read it at the table and from where guests stand, against your till and today's recipes.

Restaurant menu templates by fold: one-page, bifold and trifold

The fold sets how much a menu holds. Most dining rooms use one of these three.

1. One-page menu template (one sheet, one side)

For: a small bistro or a dinner list of 10 to 20 dishes. Why it works: guests see everything at once, and it reprints cheaply when a price changes.

Fill-in tip: write the mains first; they carry the menu. If the page is crowded, cut a starter before you shrink the type.

2. Bifold menu template (one sheet folded in half, four panels)

For: a full-service restaurant with 25 to 40 items. Why it works: the cover sets the tone and the two inside panels hold the food side by side.

Fill-in tip: put the mains on the inside panels, facing the guest when the menu opens, and keep the back for desserts and notes.

3. Trifold menu template (one sheet folded in three, six panels)

For: a menu with many short sections, or a copy guests take home. Why it works: each section gets its own column, and the folded sheet stands in a rack or goes into a bag.

Fill-in tip: fold a blank sheet and number the panels in pencil first; the inside flap shows first when the cover opens.

Cafe menu template, kids, drinks, dessert and brunch menus

Menus for a time of day or a particular guest, usually run next to the main menu.

4. Cafe menu template for a wall board or counter card

For: a coffee shop or bakery counter, read standing in a queue. Why it works: sizes are columns, so a price takes two glances, and food runs below with a daily slot.

Fill-in tip: large prices, short descriptions; read the proof from the back of your queue.

5. Kids menu template (with a game on the back)

For: family restaurants, diners and pubs. Why it works: one price with a side and a drink makes choosing easy, and a game keeps the table calm.

Fill-in tip: use words a seven-year-old can read aloud, and keep the game on the back so the food side stays clean.

In England, the "adults need around 2000 kcal a day" statement is not needed on children's menus, according to the government's calorie labelling guidance [6].

6. Wine and drink menu template (by the glass, by the bottle, without alcohol)

For: a bar or the drinks list beside a restaurant menu. Why it works: columns by measure compare a glass with a bottle, and a zero-alcohol section serves everyone else.

Fill-in tip: describe each wine in three words a server can say aloud. Under the FSA's guidance and EU rules, sulphur dioxide and sulphites above 10 mg per litre are one of the 14 allergens, so a wine that contains them needs allergen information like any dish [5] [7].

7. Dessert menu template (a card after the mains)

For: a restaurant that brings a separate card with the coffee, or a patisserie. Why it works: it arrives when guests decide on dessert and carries dessert wine and coffee in the same view.

Fill-in tip: say how long the slowest dessert takes.

8. Brunch menu template (weekend daytime service)

For: a cafe or restaurant serving late breakfast and lunch at weekends. Why it works: sweet and savoury sit apart, the hours are on top, and extras let guests build a plate.

Fill-in tip: print the hours at the top and in the footer.

Prix fixe, takeout, food truck and event menu templates

Menus shaped by how the food is sold.

9. Prix fixe menu template (one price, a choice in each course)

For: a holiday dinner or a restaurant week. Why it works: one price per person ends the arithmetic, and two or three choices a course keep prep under control.

Fill-in tip: give each course a vegetarian choice, and put any supplement next to its dish so nobody is surprised by the bill.

Thanksgiving Day is Thursday 26 November 2026, per the US Office of Personnel Management [17].

10. Takeout menu template (numbered for phone and counter orders)

For: a takeaway or delivery kitchen. Why it works: numbered dishes speed up phone orders, and the ordering details go home in the bag.

Fill-in tip: number by tens per section (10s small plates, 20s bowls), so a new dish does not renumber the menu.

For phone and online orders, the Food Standards Agency says allergen information must be available before the purchase is completed and again at delivery [5].

11. Food truck menu template (a board read from the queue)

For: a food truck, market stall or pop-up. Why it works: six to ten items in large type, one combo and a payment line are all a queue needs.

Fill-in tip: if a price cannot be read from the back of the queue, the board has too many lines.

12. Event menu template (wedding, party or company dinner)

For: a wedding, birthday, holiday party or company dinner. Why it works: a card at each place tells guests what is coming, and the pre-ordered choices help servers bring the right plate.

Fill-in tip: print the main-course choices exactly as the invitation offered them. For the invitation itself, see our AI invitation maker guide.

Writing a reference for a cook or server who is moving on? Our recommendation letter template page has an employee sample.

Allergen and calorie labelling on menus: US, UK and EU

What a menu must carry depends on where you trade and how big you are. Each line is from the official publisher, opened 10 November 2026; general information, not legal advice.

United States: FDA menu labeling and the Food Code

Chains with 20 or more locations show calories for standard items on menus and menu boards, with a compliance date of 7 May 2018, according to the FDA's Menu Labeling Requirements page (current as of 13 December 2023) [1]. The FDA's food allergies page (current as of 11 March 2026) says the FASTER Act made sesame the ninth major allergen from 1 January 2023, and that its labelling law covers most packaged foods, not most restaurant food [2]. For restaurants in jurisdictions that adopt the 2022 Food Code, section 3-602.12 says unpackaged foods "must have written notification" of major food allergens, on paper or electronically [3]. The FDA issued the 2026 Food Code on 17 September 2026 and calls it "a model code that is not required", widely adopted by state, local, tribal and territorial agencies [4].

England, Wales and Northern Ireland: FSA allergen guidance and calorie labelling

The Food Standards Agency's allergen guidance, updated 17 July 2026 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, says businesses must "supply allergen information for every item that contains any of the 14 allergens", in writing or verbally with a clearly visible written notice, and that written information supported by a conversation works best [5]. The Department of Health and Social Care's guidance says businesses in England with 250 or more employees show kcal and the portion size next to each item, with "adults need around 2000 kcal a day" on every menu page, from 6 April 2022 [6].

European Union: the food information regulation

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 has applied since 13 December 2014, according to the European Commission [7]. Its Article 44 makes allergen information mandatory for food offered without prepackaging and lets member states set the means, and its Annex II lists the 14 substances, counting sulphites above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre [7].

The lists differ: celery, lupin, molluscs, mustard and sulphites are on the 14 and not the US nine, and the 14 count all cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats) where the US names wheat.

Menu template for Google Docs and Word

Every design above pastes into any editor. Steps are from each vendor's help page, opened 10 November 2026.

In Google Docs

Paste a design into a new document. For landscape, choose File, Page setup, select Pages at the top, then set Orientation and Paper size; these settings are not available in pageless format [12]. For a trifold, select the text and choose Format, Columns; Insert, Break, Column break moves a section to the next panel [13]. File, Make a copy keeps your master menu clean for next season [11].

In Word

For your own trifold, set landscape, add three columns from the Layout tab, and place breaks with Layout, Breaks, Column [14]. Save it with File, Save As, Word Template, and start the next from File, New, Personal; on a Mac, File, Save as Template [15].

Common sheet sizes for printed menus

ISO 216 sets the A series used in most countries [16]; the US and Canada use Letter, Legal and Tabloid.

For food pictures, our AI image generator comparison covers the tools; for a menu as one sheet on a wall, see the AI poster maker guide; for a menu in Arabic, our Arabic guide to menu design tools ranks eleven.

Check before you print a menu

Three ready requests to paste into NOXI

For a menu written out and designed in one go: paste a request into NOXI and replace the words in brackets.

Make it in NOXI: a printed menu in one request

NOXI (noxi.ai) is an AI maker for presentations and documents: you describe what you need in one request, and it builds a designed deck or document in one of 14 formats; the free plan covers five documents a month, downloads carry no watermark, and files export to PowerPoint, Word and PDF.

Menu is one of the 14 formats of NOXI 2.0, described in the NOXI 2.0 launch article as designed pages of dishes or services with prices. Every change after a document is made is free, and no credit card is needed to start.

Frequently asked questions

What should a restaurant menu template include?

A header with the restaurant's name, service and hours; sections in the order guests eat; each dish's name, a one-line description and a price; dietary marks with a key; allergen information or a note on where to find it; calories where required; and a footer with service, payment and contact details.

How do I make a menu in Google Docs?

Paste a menu design into a new document, choose File, Page setup, select Pages at the top, and set Orientation and Paper size. For a trifold, select the text and choose Format, Columns, then three; Insert, Break, Column break starts the next panel. Keep a master and use File, Make a copy each season.

Is there a free menu template in Word?

Yes. Microsoft's "Free printable menu templates" page for Word listed free designs on 10 November 2026, among them Elegant dinner menu, Bistro menu, Pizza menu and Thanksgiving menu, opening in Word for the web. You can also paste any design from this page into Word and save it as a Word Template.

What size is a restaurant menu?

There is no single standard. Common choices are A4 (210 × 297 mm) or US Letter (8.5 × 11 in) for a one-page or trifold menu, A3 or Tabloid folded in half for a bifold, and A5 for dessert, prix fixe and event cards. Ask your printer which sheets it stocks before you design.

What is the difference between a bifold and a trifold menu?

A bifold is one sheet folded in half into four panels: a cover, two inside panels for the food and a back for desserts, drinks and notes. A trifold is folded in three into six narrower panels, which suits menus with many short sections or a copy guests take home from the counter.

Do restaurants have to show calories on the menu?

Only some. In the US, the FDA requires calories on menus and menu boards for restaurants in a chain of 20 or more locations. In England, businesses with 250 or more employees must show kcal per portion and the statement "adults need around 2000 kcal a day". Smaller independents are outside both rules.

Do menus have to list allergens?

The information must reach guests, though not always on the menu. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, businesses give it for every item with any of the 14 allergens, in writing or verbally with a written notice. EU law makes it mandatory for food sold unpackaged. In the US, the FDA Food Code asks for written notification where adopted.

What should a kids menu include?

Four to six simple mains, a choice of side and drink, one small dessert, the age range and what the price includes, plus a note that parents can ask about allergens and smaller portions of adult dishes. A game, maze or drawing box on the back keeps children busy until the food arrives.

What does prix fixe mean on a menu?

Prix fixe is French for "fixed price": one price per person for a set number of courses, usually with two or three choices in each. The card states the price, the courses, any supplements next to their dishes, a wine pairing price if offered, and whether tax and service are included.

Can NOXI make a menu for me?

Yes. Choose the Menu format and send one request with your dishes, prices, sections and style; NOXI designs it in a style from its library of more than ninety, with pictures made for the menu, and exports PDF for print or Word to edit. The free plan covers five documents a month.

Sources & methodology

Every rule, date, count and help-page step comes from its publisher's page, opened 10 November 2026, signed out. Designs, item counts and sheet uses are editorial working rules. All venues, dishes and prices in the examples are fictional; their allergens follow the ingredients written in each dish.

• [1] Covered establishments are restaurants and similar retail food establishments "part of a chain with 20 or more locations", doing business under the same name and offering substantially the same menu items; calories for standard menu items on menus and menu boards; written nutrition information on request (total calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, sugars, fiber, protein); a statement "indicating that 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, but calorie needs vary"; "May 7, 2018 is the compliance date for the menu labeling final rule"; content current as of 13 December 2023 · US Food and Drug Administration, Menu Labeling Requirements, checked 10 November 2026.
• [2] Nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame; the FASTER Act, signed into law on 23 April 2021, declared sesame the ninth, effective 1 January 2023; FALCPA is enforced "in most packaged food products" and excludes most retail and food-service foods not pre-packaged with a label; content current as of 11 March 2026 · FDA, Food Allergies, checked 10 November 2026.
• [3] "In states, local, tribal, territorial, or federal jurisdictions that adopt the 2022 FDA Food Code": "Unpackaged foods served or sold to consumers within a retail food establishment must have written notification" of the presence of major food allergens as an ingredient (FDA Food Code section 3-602.12); "Written notification can be provided in many forms such as: physical or electronic means"; content current as of 10 December 2024 · FDA, Addition of 2022 Food Code: Sesame Added as a Major Food Allergen, checked 10 November 2026.
• [4] "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued the 2026 edition of the FDA Food Code"; "While it is a model code that is not required, it has been widely adopted by state, local, tribal and territorial agencies"; constituent update dated 17 September 2026 · FDA, FDA Releases 2026 Food Code; regulators "use the FDA Food Code as a model to develop or update their own food safety" rules, content current as of 22 October 2026 · FDA Food Code, both checked 10 November 2026.
• [5] Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales; the 14 allergens (celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, tree nuts); "supply allergen information for every item that contains any of the 14 allergens"; in writing, such as "full written allergen information on a menu, chalkboard or in an information pack", or verbally with "a written notice placed in a clearly visible position"; written information supported by a conversation works best; distance selling: before the purchase is completed and when the food is delivered; published 2 April 2020, last updated 17 July 2026 · Food Standards Agency, Allergen guidance for food businesses, checked 10 November 2026.
• [6] "any business with 250 or more employees"; "The Regulations come into force from 6 April 2022"; energy content in kcal and the portion size, next to the food's description or price; the statement "adults need around 2000 kcal a day" once on every menu page, not needed on children's menus; published 17 September 2021 · Department of Health and Social Care, Calorie labelling in the out of home sector: implementation guidance, checked 10 November 2026.
• [7] Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers "entered into application on 13 December 2014"; "mandatory allergen information for non-prepacked foods" · European Commission, Food information to consumers: legislation; Article 44(1)(a): for foods offered without prepackaging "the provision of the particulars specified in point (c) of Article 9(1) is mandatory"; Article 44(1)(b): other particulars in Articles 9 and 10 are "not mandatory" unless Member States adopt national measures; Article 44(2): "Member States may adopt national measures concerning the means through which the particulars" are made available; Annex II, the 14 substances, with sulphur dioxide and sulphites "at concentrations of more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre"; Article 55: "It shall apply from 13 December 2014" · EUR-Lex, consolidated text of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, both checked 10 November 2026.
• [8] Page title "Free printable menu templates | Microsoft Word"; "Create stylish menus for restaurants, cafés, or events with customizable templates"; 20 templates shown, among them Elegant dinner menu, Retro menu, Basic menu, Bistro menu, Pizza menu and Thanksgiving menu, alongside programs and brochures; "Open Word for web to explore menu templates" · Microsoft, Free printable menu templates, checked 10 November 2026.
• [9] Page title "Customize 16,337+ Menus Templates Online"; "Showing 50 of 16,337" · Canva, Menus templates, checked 10 November 2026.
• [10] Page title "Free Menu Templates | Adobe Express"; heading "Editable free menu templates"; "2,799 Menu templates" listed; "Free to use"; "No credit card required"; a Premium filter among the options · Adobe Express, Menu templates, checked 10 November 2026.
• [11] File, New, From a template, then pick a template and click Insert; File, Make a copy, enter a name and choose where to save it · Google Docs Editors Help, Use templates, checked 10 November 2026.
• [12] File, Page setup, select Pages at the top of the dialog, then Orientation and Paper size; "These features aren't available in documents that are in pageless format"; a section can be set to landscape with a section break and "Apply to" · Google Docs Editors Help, Change page settings, checked 10 November 2026.
• [13] Select the text, Format, Columns, then the number of columns; More options; Insert, Break, Column break; not available in pageless format · Google Docs Editors Help, Work with columns, checked 10 November 2026.
• [14] Place the cursor where the column should break, select Layout, then Breaks, then Column; steps for Word for Windows in Print Layout view · Microsoft Support, Insert a column break, checked 10 November 2026.
• [15] Windows: File, Save As, Word Template in the Save as type list, saved to the Custom Office Templates folder; File, New, Personal. Mac: File, Save as Template, Microsoft Word template (.dotx); File, New from Template · Microsoft Support, Create a template, checked 10 November 2026.
• [16] ISO 216:2007, Writing paper and certain classes of printed matter, trimmed sizes, A and B series, and indication of machine direction; valid from 29 August 2007; "specifies the trimmed sizes of writing paper and certain classes of printed matter". The record does not print the sheet dimensions; the sizes in the table are the standard A-series and North American sheet sizes · Estonian Centre for Standardisation and Accreditation, ISO 216:2007, checked 10 November 2026.
• [17] Thanksgiving Day 2026: "Thursday, November 26" · US Office of Personnel Management, Federal Holidays, checked 10 November 2026.